Fresh caught Dungeness crab, a typically Bay Area staple by the time Thanksgiving rolls around, will most likely not be available this year.
California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife has delayed the start of the commercial crab season past the normal annual start date of Nov. 15, in an effort to better protect the endangered wildlife living in the Bay.
Humpback whales and leatherback sea turtles have been spotted in various fishing zones recently. Those marine animals are at risk of getting caught in the lines attached to crab pots used by commercial crabbers.
"This is the first time the recreational Dungeness crab fishery is subject to similar measures as commercial crabbers to help protect whales and sea turtles," said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham in a statement Monday. "We recognize that change takes time but thank all Californians who treasure these recreational fishing opportunities."
For crabbers working out of the San Francisco Bay, the decision is a little vexing.
"There is frustration, absolutely," said Mary Conselo at the Fisherman’s Wharf California Shellfish Company. But she says fishermen are not surprised by the delay.
"Business is already quiet," she said. "There really is no business right now, so people are used to it."
The price of crab is already extremely high, she said.
For outfits like Alioto-Lazio Fish Company also at Fisherman’s Wharf, the crabs they currently have on hand have been shipped down from Washington State, mainly to cater to tourists.
The department will reevaluate the risk potential around November 22, 2021.
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